Am I too late?
by fairytailsbluepanda
Summary: Natsu is feeling down about the recent explosion of fairy tail couples and after some even more depressing news he turns to a fellow dragon slayer for advice. Will this advice spark an epiphany in Natsu and will he be in time to act upon it, please read to find out :)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer I do not own Fairy tail or it's characters Hiro Mashima does **

**This author only owns the ideas for her own fanfiction plots :)**

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***Natsu's p.o.v***

I sighed for the...I'd lost count how many times I'd sighed today but I did know it had been a lot of times. The thing that was making me sigh though was the fact that I had no understanding of what was happening around the guild anymore!

It had all started after we had won the grand magic games, Elfman had finally manned up, to steal his phrase, and asked Evergreen out. Much to everyones surprise, but that had opened up the floodgates on everyone's else's suppressed emotions or feelings and now it's at the point where I think it's only Gray and I that are without a significant other or girlfriend, I mean even freaking hell was it mating season or something! Normally I didn't care about this sort of thing but for some reason it was really making me think right now.

"What's wrong Natsu?" Mira asked as she passed by my slumped form.

"Is it me or has everyone but Gray, Gajeel and Me had gotten a mate?" I answered her question with a question letting the depression that was radiating from every pore in my body known to the Demon barmaid...I was past the point of people worrying about my out of character behaviour I needed help with this and quickly and Mira was always trying to set people up so she seemed like the best place to start.

"Well this is unusual for you," Mira giggled as she cleaned a glass.

"Can you just answer the question?" I mumbled looking up with puppy dog eyes.

"Alright," Mira laughed setting the glass down. "But I'm sorry to tell you some bad news but it's just you who hasn't found anyone yet."

"WHAT?!" I cried bolting upright off the bar. "When and Who got together with the stripper?" Even that damned Gray had a girl could today get anymore depressing?

"You'll find out later on," Mira replied looking at me oddly...what was that expression? Oh well I bet it's nothing but I know a sure fire way to get my mind off this weird depression thats been bugging me, a good fight with metal head and Elfman now where are they?

"Fine," I muttered to Mira as I spotted Gajeel and headed to his usual table at the back of the guild. I felt my depression start to slip away as I got hyped up about a good brawl because Gajeel was always ready to rumble!

"Yo Gajeel, fight me!" I yelled as I saw him finish talking to Lily about something.

"Not today Salamander," He grumbled then picked up a handful of scrap metal and popped it into his mouth.

"Why not?" I pouted dropping into a vacant chair across from him, ignoring the snarl of protest that came my way.

"Cos I don't," He growled at me. "Anyway we'd look dumb."

"Huh, how so?" I asked confused by his reply.

"We'd be the only two fighting is why dumbass," Gajeel said shaking his head at me and then pointed around to show me how unusually quiet the guild hall was today.

"I see your point," I sighed my head crashing into the table, my earlier depressed stated returning fast.

"Oi Salamander," Gajeel barked making me shift my head just enough so I could see him. "Don't be depressed here do it somewhere else!"

"No, if you haven't noticed the place is littered with mated couples," I muttered. "Theres no where else for me to be depressed."

"Sit with the brat she's still single," Gajeel grumbled through a mouthful of metal.

"Wrong," I deadpanned pointing to where Wendy was sat shyly holding Romeo's hand while they shared an ice-cream sundae.

"What the...even the brat has a mate?! Gajeel cried choking on his metal, I simply nodded my head in confirmation. "Okay now I even feel depressed!"

"Yep everyone seems to have found their mate since the games," I mumbled sitting back up. "Oh that reminds me why haven't you made Levy your's?" I asked the surly elder slayer. I mean I can be dense at times but even I could see that there was/is something between them. Gajeel turned his head away looking at nothing in particular, obviously ignoring my question.

"Don't cry when she finds someone else," I quipped annoyed that he was ignoring me.

"What about you and Bunny Girl," He shot at me, I think my remark annoyed him, but why bring Lucy into this?

"What about me and Lucy?" I asked tilting my head to the side, confused once again.

"Are you kidding me?" You see stuff between Bookworm and Me but you can't see what's right under your own nose," He gaped at me with wide disbelieving eyes.

"Aha so you admit it," I yelled pointed at him in victory.

"Admit what?" He shouted back at me getting madder by the second, YES! fight here I come!

"That you and Levy have stuff going on," I grinned happily at him, expecting to receive a fist in the face at any moment now...hey wheres the fight?

"Ak no I never said that," Gajeel sputtered turning red. Oh you face tells it all! "But anyway what about if Bunny girl finds someone else?"

Damn I hate how everyone (mainly Gajeel) keep bringing this up. I mean she's weird, sure she's my best friend and partner but that's it!...Although lately I get really nervous and worried if she isn't by my side or if I don't know where she is and I can't sleep unless I'm laid next to her, but that doesn't mean she's meant to be my mate or anything...could it?

"Gajeel?" I asked feeling my cockiness slipping away as my last thought took root in my brain.

"What?" He replied looking at me with..was that hopefulness on his face?

"Did Metalicana ever mention anything to you about finding your mate?" I whispered knowing he'd hear me and my throat had suddenly gone really dry.

"Sure didn't Igneel ever bring it up with you?" He asked raising a studded eyebrow at me.

"He only ever said something about Dragons and Dragon slayer's only have one mate for life and if I was ever lucky enough to find her, I was to treasure her or..something like that," I grumbled trying to remember my dad's exact words to me.

"That's the basics but it's more complicated than that," Gajeel started shaking his head, most likely at my lack of knowledge but I would let it slide this time as I did need him to clue me in more on this subject.

"Fill me in," I demanded before remembering how Lucy always scolds me for never asking for favours politely. "Please." I managed to grind out between clenched teeth. Gajeel just raised his other studded eyebrow and cocked his head slightly.

"Since you asked so politely, fine," He snickered as he took another mouthful of metal scraps before continuing. "Like Igneel already told you we only choose one woman, or in Wendy's case man, and no-one else for life. But normal humans can have multiple partners, so to speak. Although once a Dragon Slayer has made his/her feelings clear to their chosen mate, and if that person returns their feelings, that person won't normally find another partner either but if you don't make yourself clear to the other person fast enough they can find someone else." He paused here to let the information sink into my brain, I had to say it was interesting to know but how did it fill me in on how to find my mate?

"Okay but how does this help me know how to find my mate and who it is?" I asked getting more confused.

"I'm getting there idiot," Gajeel barked.

"Get there faster," I huffed looking towards the guild doors to see if Gray had arrived yet as I wanted to tease him about his new girlfriend and Lucy hadn't arrived yet and I was starting to worry about if she was okay or not.

"What I'm trying to tell you is of the dangers of not telling your mate how you feel quick enough, she could find someone else and your screwed because thats it your possibly alone for life," He growled his patiences running low.

"That's not good," I choked out starting to grasp what he meant. "So how do you know for sure who it is?"

"Theres loads of different signs; the first is usually that her/his smell will be the best scent in the world to you," He grumbled signalling to Mira for more scraps. I felt some sweat start to form on my forehead, Lucy's smell was definitely the best scent I'd ever smelled but I'm sure thats the only box she'll tick I mean it's probably just a fluke anyway...I mean who'd want to date her?

"What else?" I asked hoping that no more flukes would pop up...even though I had the sneaking suspicion that they would.

"You'll be more protective over that person and constantly worried or nervous if they aren't always close to you or you don't know where they are." Oh hell thats two points to Lucy but I'm like that to all my nakama so it doesn't count right?..But if it doesn't mean anything why am I getting so flustered ? A little voice said in the back of my mind. I shook my head trying to dislodge the voice and waited for Gajeel to continue.

"The most dead certain signs though are; doing everything in your power to make her smile/happy, even if it means staying friends for life and the other is not being able to sleep without being surrounded by her scent and her." He finished and turned his stern red eyes on me but I couldn't move in that moment I was in shock! Those things that Gajeel had just listed included everything that I had done/did do with Lucy or thought about her!

"Lu..Lucys...m...my...m...ma...mat...mate," I stammered as I thought over every memory I had to do with the Celestial mage.

"Don't expect an award for FINALLY figuring that out," Gajeel sneered at me sarcastically. Damn what do I do now though?

"Tell her Salamander," Gajeel groaned as if he'd read my mind.

"How?" I stated simply seeing as I was clueless about how to confess feelings to the opposite sex.

" I can't tell you how to do it, it's different for each person," He scoffed turning his attention away from me. But how could I tell Luce news like this and make her believe me?

I know her rent is due soon, I'll take her on a job just us like old times and then once we're out there I can figure out a good way to tell her, Yep that would definitely work! Now all I needed was for Lucy to arrive and then I could start 'Mission make Lucy my mate'. I guess I better say something to Gajeel for helping me figure this all out. I returned my attention from my inner rambling back onto the Iron Dragon to find him staring intently at the request board where a certain blue haired orange clad solid script mage was searching for a job. Shouldn't Gajeel follow his own advice?

"Oi Metal brain," I yelled effectively snapping him out of his trance.

"What now Salamander?" He snapped angrily at me.

"Nothing just wanted to say thanks," I grinned "Oh and you should follow your own advice," I laughed and stood up as I smelled Lucy approaching the guild.

"Tsh whatever," He grumbled then gave me a nod to signal his 'you're welcome'. He really was an okay guy when he wanted to be.

"Hey guys," Lucy and Gray called from the guild doors. This wasn't unusual they had been arriving together more and more for a while now.

"Lu..." I started to call but stopped when I actually took in the site of my friend/rival and my mate, they had their fingers entwined and Lucy had a rosey blush spread across her cheeks. I felt my heart drop as the full meaning of this picture hit me.

Don't tell me that Gray's new girlfriend that Mira had been telling me about earlier and the one that I was so looking forward to teasing him about was actually...LUCY?!


	2. Authors note

**Hi Everyone Panda-chan here again,**

**So I've decided that while I'm struggling with my post op writers block, I shall edit all my existing stories, that should hopefully kick start my ideas for what to do next. I shall fix the grammar, spelling and any other issues there might be. But do feel free to PM or comment on any problems you think need fixing and I will gladly work on them...as long as it's worded nicely and not something like redo the entire storyline type deal. I am not redoing 20 chapters worth of story plot, I love you all, don't get me wrong, but that is unreasonable! But like I said please do help me out, as I'm sure to miss out some edits that need doing otherwise.**

***Bows***

**Thank you all!**


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